Rotary ironer



y 1943' G. w. WARDWELL, JR 2,325,449

ROTARY IRONER Filed. April 5, 1937 2 sneets-sheet 1 'IIIIIlI/l/ qmum In ventor:

, Geofiggw \A/arclwell Jr;

l5 Attorne g.

July 27, 1943- G. w. WARDWELL, JR

ROTARY IRONER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 3, 1957 I Inventor" v George W. War-dwell J17,

5 ctor'ney.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIiIIIII/IIfiII/IlIIIIIIIII Patented July 27, 1943 ROTARY {RONER George W. Wardwell, Jr., Nichols, Conn., assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application April 3, 1937, Serial No. 134,850

10 Claims. (Cl. 38-59) The present invention relates to ironers of the type in which ironing is effected by cooperating g ironing members, one of which is a roll.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved construction and arrangement in ironers of this type, and for a consideration of what I believe to be novel and my invention, attention is directed to the accompanying description and the claims appended thereto.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an ironer embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a sectional end elevation of the ironer housing showing the driving mechanism for the ironer; Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 33 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a sectional view showing the construction for controlling the rotation of the roll; Fig. 6 is a fragmentary front elevation of the ironer, broken away to show the construction of and the arrangement fordriving the roll, the construction of and the arrangement for supporting the shoe, and the mechanism for rotating the roll and for moving the shoe toward and away from the roll; Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken on line 1-1 of Fig. 6; Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 6; and Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the control lever and the linkage connected thereto controlling the operation of the ironer.

Referring to the drawings, the ironer comprises a frame or a-housing l containing the driving mechanism for the ironer and provided with means for supporting a roll 2 and a shoe 3. The housing is provided with a flange 4, which rests on and is suitably secured to the top 5 of a suitable table.

As shown in Figures 6 and 7 the shoe comprises an arcuate metal plate 6 which is heated by suitable electric heating elements (not shown). On the upper surface of the plate 6 are secured a pair of studs 1 which extend through spacing sleeves 8 and a plate 9 resting on the ends-of the sleeves. The studs I are spaced on each side of the center of the shoe and are arranged on a center line extending lengthwise of the shoe. A

cover I covering the rear face of the plate 6 is clamped between the plate 9 and nuts I i threaded on the studs. On the outside of the cover is a U-shaped bracket I! which is fastened to the plate 9 by screws 13. The bracket I2 has a square seat M in which fits the squared end i of a circular rod or arm [6. The arm l6 extends from the housing I along the roll. Ears l1, struck out from each side of the bracket l2, confine the .squared end l5 withinthe seat I4 and serve to transmit pressure from the arm to the shoe when the shoe is pressed against the roll. When the shoe is pressed against the roll the shoe pivots about the points of contact between the ears ll and the arm "3 to equalize the pressure between the roll and the shoe. Between one of the nuts I! and the cover In is clamped a leaf spring l8 having fixed thereto a pin 19 which fits in a depression- 20 in the squared end IS. The spring yieldingly holds the squared end l5 of the arm l6 against the top surface of the seat H. The spring I8 is relatively weak compared to the force exerted on the shoe when the shoe is pressed against the roll and it accordingly permits tilting of the shoe so that the pressure between the roll and the shoe is equalized throughout the surface of the shoe. The pin I9 prevents endwise movement of the shoewith respect to the arm It. By depressing the end 2| of the spring the pin 19 may be moved clear of the depression 20 in which case the shoe may be slipped off the end of the arm It.

The arm I6 extends through an opening 22 in the side wall of the housing I and the inner end is connected to a projection 23. Pivoted in the .side wall of the housing is a lever 24 having a I thereby cause the shoe to be moved toward and away from the roll. The arm is preferably made sufiiciently resilient to decrease the variation in pressure between the roll and the shoe due to variations in the thickness of the pad and the material being moved. By pivoting the lever 24 in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figure 6, the surface 25 is moved clear of the arm l6 and the surface 26 is presented to the arm. Since the surface 26 is further removed-from the arm it than the surface 25, the arm can now be moved away from the roll independently of the position of the projection 23. This provides an emergency release by means of which the shoe may be moved away from the roll. It also provides an arrangement which permits the movement of the shoe a relatively great distance from the roll so that the surface of the shoe will be more completely exposed. This makes the cleaning and waxing of the shoe more convenient.

The roll comprises a cylindrical metal shell 21 having a suitable padding 28 held on its outer surface by a pad cover 29. Within each end of v the shell are disks 30 and 3| respectively provided with flanges 32 and 33 which are secured to the inner surface of the shell 21. In the flanges 32 and 33 are grooves 34 receiving snap rings 35 which secure the pad cover to the roll. At the center of each of the disks 38 and 3| are respectively secured cup-shaped members 35 and 36a carrying sleeve bearing 31 and 31.which rotatably support the roll on sleeves 38 and 38a. The sleeves 38 and 38a fit over and have their inner surfaces spaced from a tube 39 which is ,fixed in a boss 40 in the ironer housing. The

sleeves 38 and 38a are prevented from turning on the tube 39 by means of pins 4| which extend through the tube. One end of the pins 4| rest in sockets 42 on the inner surface of the sleeves 38 and 38a and the other ends of the pin extend through holes 43 in the sleeves. Each of the sleeves is normally biased upward against the lower edge of the tube 39 by means of a coil spring 44 which surrounds the pin 4| and is arranged between a cup 45 fixed in the tube and a cup 46 on a sleeve 41 slidably carried in the tube. The upper end of the tube 41 bears against the inner surface of the sleeves and transmits the force of the coil spring 44 to the sleeves thereby moving the sleeves upward until they strike the lower surface of the tube 39. Under this condition an internal gear 48 which is fixed to the flange 33 is out of engagement with a pinion 49 formed ona shaft 50 which is journaled in a sleeve bearing in the side wall of the ironer housing. The springs 44 are quite weak, since their only function is to lift the roll assembly to the position shown in Figs. 6 and 8. The shaft 50 is continuously rotated by means of a worm gear 52 which is pinned to the right end thereof.

When the shoe is pressed against the roll the pressure exerted by the shoe overcomes the force exerted by the relatively light coil springs 44 and moves the roll downward from the position shown in Figs. 6 and 8 to a position in which the gear 48 meshes with the pinion 49, thereby completing the driving connection to the roll and causing rotation of the roll. The movement of the roll can be described as transverse with respect to the axis of the roll and the roll support.

The gears 48 and 49, therefore, function as a. clutch which is operated by the pressure between the shoe and the roll to complete a driving connection to the roll. One advantage of this construction is that the gears 48 and 49 engage when the pressure between the roll is suflicient to overcome the relatively weak coil springs 44. The roll therefore starts turning before full ironing pressure is developed between the roll and the shoe. This decreases the starting load.

As the roll is moved to the position in which the gear 48 engages the pinion 49 there is some tendency for the teeth to jam. This tendency is increased by the fact that the gear 48 is an internal gear with its teeth extending radially inward and the pinion 49 is an external gear with its teeth extending radially outward. It is, therefore, possible for a pair of teeth on. the pinion 49 to straddle a pair of teeth on the gear 48 in which case further approach of the gears would result in serious jamming. This tendency weight of the roll assembly. This means that when the shoe engages the roll and moves it toward th tubular support 39, the pressure between the roll and the shoe at the start of this movement will be relatively light compared to the full ironing pressure. If there is any interference between the gear teeth which would prevent the teeth of the internal gear from going smoothly into mesh with the teeth of the pinion there will not be any very large forces built up between the gear teeth. Assuming that the roll and the internal gear 48 are moving toward the pinion 49 and that the ends of the teeth of the internal gear strike on the ends of the teeth pinion, the flexibility of the roll mounting combined with the tiltable mounting of the shoe allows the right end of the roll to pause sufficiently for the pinion to rotate and find its way into proper mesh with the internal gear. While the internal gear is pausing in its movement toward the pinion, the clearance between the ring 38 and ti e tube 39 allows the left end of the roll to mo e downward without building up any appreciable pressure between the teeth of the internal gear and the teeth of the pinion. This construction, therefore, obtains suflicient pause in the movement of the internal gear toward to jamming of the gear teeth is prevented by the 48 is spaced from the pinion 49 by coil springs 44. These springs are relatively weak inasmuch as they need only be strong enough to lift the the pinion to prevent jamming of the gear teeth. From one aspect, the tiltable mounting of the roll can be regarded as a yielding mounting of the gear 48 which permits the gear to yield to prevent jamming of the gear teeth. The shoe does not prevent tilting of the roll since it is supported so that it can have a corresponding tilting movement.

Endwise movement of the roll on the tube 39 is prevented by a thrust washer 53 hearing against the end of the boss 49 and a thrust washer 54 which is held on the tube 39 by a pin 55. The thrust washers 53 and 54 bear against the ends of the cup-shaped members 36 and 360.

When the ironer is used for ironing flat work it is desirable that the roll rotate continuously while the shoe is pressed against the roll.

ironed under the shoe. Under some circumstances, it is desirable that the roll remain stationary when the shoe is pressed against the roll. The rotation of the roll is prevented by a slide 56 which is slidable in a groove 51 in the bos 49. One end of the slide extends within the ironer housing and is provided with a slot 58 through which extends a crank 59 on a shaft 59 journaled in a boss 6| (Fig. 5) in the top wall of the ironer housing. The shaft 69 projects outside the ironer housing and has pinned thereto a handle 62 by means of which the shaft may be rotated. The handle i yieldingly held in the position to which it is moved by means of a spring pressed ball detent 63 which cooperates with recesses in the surface 64 of the boss 8|. The handle is held against the surface 64 by means of a compression spring 65 arranged between a washer 66 secured to the shaft 60 and the inner end of the boss 5|. Rotation of the shaft in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 6, causes the slide 58 to be moved to the left thereby moving a flange 61 on the left end of the slide between the tube 39 and the sleeve 38a. While in this position the flange 61 prevents movement of the sleeve 38a toward the tube 39 and therebykeeps the gear 48 out of mesh with the pinion 49 when the shoe is pressedagainst the roll. The roll will therefore remain stationary when the. shoe is pressed against the roll.

The rotation of the roll then feeds the material bein The flange 81 cannot be moved to the positio between the tube 88 and the sleeve 88a when the shoe is pressed against the roll. The flange 81 is moved from the position between the tube 88 and the sleeve 42 by movement of 'theshaft 88 in a clockwise direction, as viewed in 6.

This movement of the shaft causes the slide 88 to be moved to the right. The movement of the slide in this direction is limited by engagement of the flange 81 with the end of the boss-48. I The ironer housing I has a vertical hollow portion 88 which serves as the frame or outer c'asing for the electric motor used to drive the ironing machine. The stationary member 88 of the electric motor is pressed into the hollow portion" 88 and the rotary member II of the electric motor notches'8l, thus completing a. driving connection from the worm wheel 82 tothe cam 82. This key.

will nowbe termed the driving key. As soon as this driving connection is completed the lever 82 maybe released and it will be returned to its normal position against the stop 88 by the spring 84. When the driving key is moved into one of the-notches 81 the other key 83 is held in its inner is carried on a shaft II, the upper end of which is journaied in a bearing I2 carried in a web I8 and the lower end of which is iournaledin a bearing 14 in a bearing housing I! threaded into the lower end of the hollow portion 88. The bearing housing I8 carries a thrust ball I8 which supports the shaft. The web I8 which i in-.

The right end of the shaft 58 is rotatably supported in boss I8 on a plate I8 secured to the end of the ironer housing. Movement of the shaft 58 to the left, as viewed in Fig. 6, is prevented by a washer 88 whichengages the left wall of the ironer housing. The washer 88 is held on a shaft by means of a snap ring 8 I Rotatably carried on the boss 18 is a cam 82 which is provided with diametrically opposite radial slots in which are slidably carried clutch keys 83 (Fig. 3). The keys are urged outward by means of springs 84 and the outward movement is limited by flanges 85 on a plate 88 fixed to the cam 82. When the keys are in the inner position shown in Fig. 3. there is no connection between the worm wheel 82 and the cam 82. When moved outward, the keys cooperate with notches 81 in a flange on the worm wheel to complete a driving connection from the worm wheel. -An odd number of notches are provided so that when one of the keys 83 fits into one of the notches 81 the other key is held in its inner position by one of the teeth 88 between the notches. With the parts in the position shown in Fig. 3 the upper key 83 is held in its inner position by a stop 88 which is integral with the plate I8. The lower key 83 is held in its inner position by engagement with a trip lever 88 which is connected on the upper end of the rock shaft 8| ioumaled in the ironer housing.

The linkage for operating the trip lever is shown in Fig. 9. It comprises a lever 82 pivoted at 83 on the underside of the table top and urged by a spring 84 against a stop 85. The lever 82 is provided with a knee pad 88 so that the lever can be actuated by a sidewise motion of the operators knee. The lever 82 is connected by means of a link 81 to a crank 88 fixed to the lower end It is thus apparent that of the rock shaft 8|. .when the knee pad is moved to the right (Fig. 9) the shaft 8i will be pivoted in a counterclockwise direction thereby movingthe trip lever 88 away from the lower key 83 and permitting the spring 84 to force it outward into one of the position by one of the teeth '88. This is due to the fact there are an odd number of notches 81. The worm wheel "rotates in a clockwise direc- /tion,' as viewed injFlg. 2, and the cam 82 is accordinglyrotated in the same direction. When the cam 82 has rotated through 180 degrees the driving key is moved out of the notch 81 by engagement with the stop 88, thus breaking the driving connection to the can. It is, therefore,[

apparent that upon each actuation of the lever 82 the cam 82 will be rotated through 188 degrees. 'The cam 82 engages a roller 88 journaled between the side walls of the projection 23.. The

toward and away from the roll. When the 'cam degrees from this positionthe shoe is'pressed cam operates with the roller 88 to pivot the arm it about the surface so as to move the shoe is in the position shown in Fig. 2 the shoe is away from the roll. When the cam is moved 180 7 against the roll. The projection 23 is of square cross-section and is slidably carried in a guide I88 in the plate 18,-it being held in the guide by a plate I8I (Fig. 4). The projection 23 is provided with rectangular slots I82a through which the arm I6 rotatably extends. The rotation of the arm is in the slots I82a is limited by a pin I82 which is fixed in the arm and the ends of'which extend through slots I83 in the side walls of the lever 23. One end of the pin I82 projects below the lever 23. Between this end of the pin I82 and the housing is connected a tension spring I 84 which tends to turn the arm I8 in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 2. The clockwise movement of the arm I8 is 'permitted by the clearance between the pin I82 and the slots I83. The purpose of the spring I84is to turn the arm It so that the upper or leading edge of the shoe will be spaced a greater distance from the roll when the shde is moved away from the roll. This decreases the danger of burning the operator's hands while arranging material on the roll and also makes it easier to advance material of heavy thickness under the shoe. The spring I It also serves to hold the roller 88 against the cam 82. When the cam is in the position shown in Fig. 2 the shoe is therefore moved away from the roll by the spring I84.

In the use of' the ironer the material to be ironed is arranged on the roll, the shoe being away from theroll as shown in Fig. 6. The knee pad 88 is then moved to the right as viewed in Fig. 9 moving the trip lever 88 away, from the adjacent key 83. The spring 84 moves the key 83 outward into one of the notches 87 in the continuously rotated worm wheel 52, thus comple'ting a driving connection from the worm wheel to the cam 82. This key now becomes the driving key. The pressure on the knee pad 86 may now be released and-the trip lever 88 will be returned to its normal position by the spring 84. After the completion of this driving connection the -cam 82 rotates through degrees at which time the driving key is pushed inward clear of the notches 81 by engagement with the stop 89. This breaks the driving connection between the worm wheel 52 and the cam 82. At this time the cam has rotated 180 degrees from the position shown in Fig. 2 and the shoe has been pressed against the roli'by the projection 23. When the pressure between the shoe and the roll becomes greater than the force exerted by the springs 44 the roll is moved downward with respect to the tube 39, thus moving the internal gear 48 into engagement with the pinion 49 and completing a driving connection to the roll. Since the springs 44 are relatively weak compared to the pressure exerted by the shoe on the roll the driving connection to the roll is completed before the full ironing pressure is developed between the roll and the shoe. When the ironing operation is completed the knee pad 96 is again moved to the right causing the cam 82 to be rotated through 180 degrees in the manner described above. At the end of this movement the shoe is moved away from the roll by the spring i and the parts occupy the position shown in Fig. 2.

If the ironer is to be used for pressing, b'efore actuating the knee pad 96. to cause the shoe to be pressed against the roll, the lever 62 is turned in a counterclockwise direction from the position shown in Fig. 1, thereby moving the flange 61 on the slide 56 between the tube 39 and the sleeve 38a. This prevents movement of the internal gear 48 toward pinion 49, thus preventing the establishment of the driving connection to the roll when the shoe is pressed against the roll.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. In an ironing machine, a pair of ironing members one of which comprises a roll and the other of which is movable into and out of pressing engagement with the roll, a frame-carrying said members, a support, bearing means for the roll carried by said support, there being clearance between said support and said bearing means whereby said bearing means may move transversely relative to said support, a driving connection for said roll comprising gears one of which is carried by the frame and the other of which is carried by roll and is movable into and out of engagement with said first gear by transverse movement of the roll, spring means between said support and said bearing means for biasing said bearing means to a position in which said gears are separated, said spring means being relatively weak whereby it is overcome by the pressure exerted on the roll by the other pressing member, thereby permitting movement of the roll to a position in which said gears are engaged, power means for driving the gear carried by the frame and for shifting said movable ironing member into and out of engagement with the roll, a member movable betweensaid support and said bearing means for holding said roll in a position in which said gears are separated. and a lever carried on said frame for moving said member between said bearing means and said support.

2. In an ironer, a roll, a shoe, a frame having means supporting the roll, an arm pivoted at an intermediate point on the frame and having a free end extending along the roll and movable toward and away from the roll, means on said free end supporting the shoe, means connected to the other end of the arm for pivoting the arm whereby the shoe is shifted toward and away from the roll, and means for displacing the pivot for said arm relative to the frame whereby the shoe may be moved away from the roll independent of said shifting means.

3. In an ironer, a roll, a shoe, a frame having means for supporting the roll, an arm pivoted at an intermediate point on the frame and having a free end extending along the roll, means on said free end supporting the shoe. means connected to the other end of the arm for pivoting the arm whereby the shoe is shifted toward and away from the roll, the pivoting means for the arm including a lever pivoted on said frame and having a cam surface engaging said arm, said cam surface being shaped so that upon pivotal movement of the lever, the portion of the cam surface engaging the arm moves relative to the frame away from said roll, thereby permitting movement of the shoe away from. the roll independent of said shifting means. v

4. In an ironer, a roll, a shoe, a frame having means supporting the roll, an arm pivoted at an intermediate point on the frame and having a free end extending along the roll, means on said free end supporting the shoe, means connected to the other end of the arm for pivoting the am about an axis perpendicular to the arm whereby the shoe is moved toward and away fromv the roll, and spring means for turning the arm; about its axis whereby one edge of the shoe will be spaced from the roll a greater distance than at its other edge when the shoe is spaced from the roll.

5. In an ironer, a roll, a shoe, 2. frame having means supporting the roll, an arm pivoted on the frame and having a free end extending along the roll, means on said free end supporting the shoe, means for pivoting the arm about an axis perpendicular to the arm whereby the shoe is moved toward and away from the roll, and spring means for turning the arm about its axis whereby one edge of the shoe will be spaced from the roll a greater distance than at its other edge when the shoe is spaced from the roll.

6. In an ironer, a roll, an arm movable toward and away from the roll, a shoe, means for tiltably supporting the shoe at its center on said arm whereby the pressure between the roll and the shoe is equalized, stop means limiting the tilting movement of the shoe in one direction, and a leaf spring connected at one end to said arm and at the other end to said shoe for holding the shoe against said stop, one of said connections being releasable upon bending of the spring whereby the shoe may be removed from said arm.

7. In an ironer, a roll, an arm movable toward and away from the roll, a shoe, means for tiltably supporting the shoe at its center on said arm whereby the pressure between the roll and the shoe is equalized, stop means limiting the tilting movement of the shoe in one direction, and a leaf spring connected at one end to said arm and at the other end to said shoe for holding the shoe against said stop, one ofsaid connections being a pin and slot connection releasable by bending of said spring whereby the shoe may be removed from said arm.

8. In an ironing machine, a pair of ironing members one of which comprises a roll, a driving connection for the roll comprising a driving gear and a driven gear, the driven gear being carried by the roll and being movable into and out of engagement with the other gear by movement of the roll transverse to its axis, shifting means for effecting engagement and separation of the ironing members and for moving the roll transverse to its axis toward and away from the driving gear, and means supporting the roll for yielding bodily movement transverse to its axis independent of the position of said shifting means and away from said driving gear whereby the driven gear may, under the tooth reaction forces present when the teeth are misaligned, pause in its movement toward the driving gear to prevent clashing of the gear teeth.

9. In an ironing machine, a pair of ironing members one of which comprises a roll, one of said members being movable into and out of pressing engagement with the other, a driving connection for the roll comprising a driving gear and a driven gear, the driven gear being carried by the roll and being movable into and out of engagement with the driving gear by movement of the roll transverse to its axis, means for shifting said movable ironing member into and out of pressing engagement with the other ironing member and for moving the roll transverse to its axis toward and away from said driving gear, and means for supporting said ironing members, the support for the roll permitting yielding movement of the roll under the tooth reaction forces present when the teeth are misaligned transverse to its axis and independent of the position of the shifting means and away from the driving gear upon operation of said shifting means to move the roll toward the driving gear.

10. In an ironing machine, a pair of ironing members one of which comprises a roll, one of said members being movable into and out of engagement with the other, a driving connection for the roll comprising an internal gear carried by the roll and a driving pinion within the internal gear, said internal gear being movable into and out of engagement with the pinion by movement of the roll transverse to its axis, means 5 aligned, pause in its movement toward the pinion to prevent clashing of the gear teeth.

GEORGE W. WARDWELL, JR. 

